Level.



1. ALP' YNEN H. E. CUNNINGHAM.

LEVEL. APPucAnoNmED APR. 16. 191-3.

1,265,500., Patented May 7,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

l INVENTORS: c/L'JZ Pay/7Q a= I. A. PAYNE & H. E. CUNNINGHAM.

LEVEL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. 1913.

1,265,506 Patented May 7,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/1 4 7% Attorney a I ares ATENT Fries.

JOHN A. PAYNE AND HENRY E. CUNNINGHAM, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

LEVEL.

Application filed April 16, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OHN A. PAYNE and HENRY E. CUNNINGHAM, citizens of the United States, residing at Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Levels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to levels and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

An object of the invention is to provide a level adapted to indicate the inclination of a surface without the use of a bubble or glass containing liquid as is usually employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with a level as above indicated, means for showing at the opposite sides of the body or stock of the level the angle of inclination of the surface to which the level is applied.

Another object of the invention is to provide a level of simple structure which includes a stock having an opening passing transversely through the same. This opening is closed by plates which are provided with detachable transparent members. A disk is journaled between the plates and is provided with hands adapted to move over dials provided upon the plates. These hands in conjunction with the dials are adapted to indicate the angle of inclination of the surface to which the stock is applied with relation to a horizontal. The disk is cut away at one side portion, whereby it is made heavier at one side than at the other and said disk turns in response to the attraction of gravity whereby the hands are moved over the dial.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction hereinafter fully described and specifically pointed out in the claim.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the intermediate portion of the level;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same; the sections being taken on the lines 2-2 and 33 of Figs. 1 and 2, respectively.

Corresponding and like parts are referred Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1918.

Serial No. 761,579.

to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings of the same reference characters.

The level comprises a body or stock 1 which may be of any desired length and which is provided with parallel longitudi nally disposed edges 2. The stock is also provided with an opening 3 which passes transversely through the same. This opening is preferably circular as shown in the drawings. Plates 4 are applied to the opposite sides of the stock 1 and close the opposite ends of the opening 3 therein. These plates may be countersunk in the sides of the stock or applied to the outer surfaces as shown. The plates are preferably provided with portions 5 which enter the ends of the opening 3 whereby the plates are properly positioned with relation to the opening. Theplates are held in position by means of bolts 0r screws 6 which pass transversely through the plates and the stock. The plates 4: are provided upon their outer sides with annular flanges 7 which are exteriorly screw threaded. Rings 8 are adapted to be screwed upon the threads of the flanges 7 and are provided with flanges 9 which extend inwardly.

Glass disks 10 are held by the flanges 9 against the ends of the flanges 7. The plates 4 are provided at the centers of the openings 3 with openings or bearings 11.

Brackets 12 are applied to the inner sides of the plates 4 and are provided with ball races 13. Bearing balls 14 are located in the said races. A disk 15 is provided at its sides with gudgeons 16. These gudgeons are surrounded by the balls 14; and the balls serve as anti-friction bearings for the same. Indicator hands 17 are secured to the ends of the gudgeons 16 by screws 18, or other suitable securing devices.

The disk 15 is preferably circular and its upper portion is cut away as at 19. In other words, the upper portion of the disk 15 is recessed and the hands 17 are located midway between the ends of the said recess.

The outer surfaces of the plates 4 within the flanges 7 are provided with dials or graduations 20 over which the said hands are adapted to move. Therefore when the stock 1 is applied to a surface, gravity acts upon the disk 15 and holds the recess 19 with its long dimension parallel to a horizontal. Therefore the hands 17 move over the graduations 20 and indicate the angle of inclination of the surface to which the stock 1 is applied with relation to a horizontal.

Therefore it will be seen that a simple, level is provided and that the level indicates the angle of inclination of a surface With relation to a horizontal without the use of liquid or a glass tube inclosing the same.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A level including a stock, opposed graduated spaced plates applied to said stock opposite a chamber therein, said plates each having an outstanding annular flange, a transparent member applied to the outer edge of the latter, an annular cap threaded upon said annular flange for the retention of said transparent member thereon, .a gravity member having central lateral trunnionlike pivots hung in apertures in said graduated plates, indices applied to said trunnion-like pivots playing in front of said graduated plates, means for holding said indices upon said pivots, said means consistingof headed-screws receivable in lateral screw-threaded holes provided in the ends of respective trunnion-like pivots, said indices each provided with a collar, centrally perforated, a reduced outer end portion of each trunnion-like pivot being received by or encircled by the collar of a respective index, when a respective headed screw is inserted into its screw-threaded vhole, and race-forming members applied to the inner surfaces of said plates and equipped with bearing-balls engaging said trunnion-like pivots. y

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses; JOHN A. PAYNE.

HENRY E. CUNNINGHAM.

VVitnes'ses: Y Y

F. J. SCHMUTZ, J. P. HENDERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

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